Touchez Pas au Grisbi

A Film by Jacques Becker

Jacques Becker's tough-guy flick Touchez Pas au Grisbi or Hands Off the Loot is a thrilling, hard-boiled adventure starring some of France's biggest stars.

The great Jean Gabin resurrected his career with the role of Max, an ageing, world-weary gangster who, together with his best friend Riton, has just pulled off the heist of his life. Stealing 50 milllion francs worth of gold ingots, the pair are now set to retire with their sweethearts, Lola and Josy (a 25-year-old Jeanne Moreau, Jules et Jim ), two much younger showgirls. But Max discovers that Josy has been cuckolding Riton with Angelo, the leader of a rival gang, and spilling all of their secrets to the competition. Soon, Max and Riton's plans are thrown into disarray, with Angelo and his cronies using all manner of dirty tricks to get their hands on the "loot".

With precise attention to detail, Becker creates a world of fast cars, hot dames and fat cats: a world in which you must hold your friends close and your enemies closer...

DVD Special Features

Audio commentary by Dr. Adrian Martin, Senior Research Fellow, Film and Television Studies, Monash University and Co-editor of Rouge magazine www.rouge.com.au

Original theatrical trailer